That’s Lavar Johnson (17-5 MMA, 2-0 UFC), who could have said that everything was fine leading into his meeting with Pat Barry (7-5 MMA, 4-5 UFC) in the first network-televised fight of UFC on FOX 3, which took place this past Friday, May 5, at IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J.

But everything wasn’t fine.

You’re likely to hear an earful of troubles from losers following fights, but winners? Most times, you’ll hear little of struggles in training camp unless they’re woven into the promotion. What’s the point? Let them enjoy the victory lap, won’t you?

Johnson triumphed when he survived a nasty submission attempt to pummel Barry with punches late in the first round. For his efforts, he was granted an additional $65,000 “Knockout of the Night” bonus, his second such award in two UFC appearances.

Against a backdrop of a drive-by shooting set by the promotion, Johnson’s win seemed all the more a feel-good story to those watching at home. But Johnson admitted it was far from easy to get to victory when he spent the immediate lead-up to the fight, in part, bent over the toilet.

“I went down and ate breakfast in the morning, and it started right there,” he told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). “As soon as I ate my breakfast, blegh! It all came back up.”

Johnson immediately went back to his hotel and lay down. At the arena, his cornermen talked him through his nerves while trying to psych him up backstage as the time crept toward his walk to the cage.

Johnson’s nerves have been acting up since he got to the UFC.

“The pressure has been getting to me,” he said. “I usually don’t have any butterflies or anything – I get a little nervous – but these last two fights? Man.”

Johnson, who hails from Madera, Calif., is a heavy-handed fighter who’s trying to improve his ground game, even though he’d rather just stand and trade punches.

But it goes to show you that even the biggest, scariest-looking guys in the world become very human when faced with the prospect of fighting in front of millions of people.

Johnson plans on getting back to the gym to work on his grappling weaknesses. Preparing for Barry, he didn’t utilize any of the heavyweight talent at American Kickboxing Academy, where wrestlers such as former UFC champ Cain Velasquez and Strikeforce contender Daniel Cormier could teach him a thing or two.

Truth be told, he would rather just stand and trade punches. Instead of working with Velasquez and Cormier, he brought in former K-1 kickboxer Carter Williams to simulate Barry’s kickboxing-heavy style.

“I don’t want to see anyone rolling around on the ground,” he said. “If I submitted somebody, my family might talk crap about me.”

But that has to change because of the nerve-racking fact that from here on out, the competition is just going to get stiffer. Meaning, he’ll have to go to the ground.

“I’m going to work on my wrestling and jiu-jitsu so I can compete with these higher-level guys,” Johnson said. “Maybe you might see a submission this next one. Probably not.”

He won’t even lie and say that he’s fine with whomever the UFC puts in front of him next, as most would say.

“Not a jiu-jitsu or wrestling guy, that’s for sure,” Johnson said. “I enjoy being on my feet and banging it out. That’s where I’m most comfortable, and that’s what the fans like to see.”

Johnson still believes it’s the heavyweights’ job to go into the cage and slug until someone falls. He might have a hard time getting his opponents to agree, however.

Somehow, he’s fought through his nerves and performed on the biggest stage around. Two years ago, he nearly quit the sport backstage after a particularly devastating loss to Shawn Jordan in Strikeforce. A year before that, his life was nearly taken in the shooting.

There’s just so much further to go. As far as he’s gotten, his skills may not be good enough to win a title. That’s the UFC: as real as it gets.

It’s hard to imagine, though, that anyone will talk crap if he continues to get better and win.

“I work hard, I train with really good people, and I think I’m progressing every time,” Johnson said.

MMAjunkie.com Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia, MMAjunkie.com lead staff reporter John Morgan and producer Brian “Goze” Garcia. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.

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